Turn around
by Taknahik
Summary: This story picks up in the middle of "Plan B" and goes down a different path.    First submission to FanFiction.  Comments encouraged.  Thanks.
1. Chapter 1

A path not taken from "Plan B"

None of the named characters in this story are my own. All belong to NCIS: LA.

Deeks knew when Nicole started kissing him in the interrogation room of the boathouse, that Kensi was watching. He even said people were watching, and when asked if he cared, Deeks and Nicole continued to kiss. He loved it. And it killed him.

Kensi and Deeks had seemed recently to get through whatever barriers they started out with in their new partnership. At first there was distrust, combined with a sort of lust between them. Things had changed. In fact, it seemed that as soon as they started trusting each other, their partnership bloomed into more than just a working relationship. Deeks sensed that they were heading down the road to love. Now he had kissed another woman while Kensi was watching. Where to go from here?

Kensi stormed into the interrogation room the moment Deeks collected the information necessary for the operation. When she grabbed Deeks and cuffed his wrists again roughly, he could tell that for her it was more than allowing him to stay in his cover persona. She was hurt.

All of this stayed just below the surface while the other team members remained at the boathouse. After Sam and Callen took Nicole to the police station, Kensi was still at the boathouse, staring out the window, with her back stiff but her shoulders sagging.

As Sam and Callen shut the door of the boathouse behind them, knowing Kensi and Deeks were still inside, Sam knowingly said to Callen "this is going to end badly. One way, they become a real item, and the other way they permanently lose the trust necessary in a good partnership."

Deeks walked silently up behind her, and gently wrapped one arm around her shoulders and the other around her waist, pulling her back into him. Her spine stiffened even more, if that was possible. But she didn't push him away.

So Deeks just stayed there. Leaning his head over her shoulder, so his breathing was the only sound she heard.

No pithy quips would help at this moment. Those would help eventually, but not right now.

He just needed to have her hear him breathing, to feel her sensing his heartbeat, and eventually to synchronize both their hearts and their breaths.

Patience. Time.

Eventually, several minutes later, they were in synch. It made every breath seem deeper, and each heartbeat stronger, when their bodies were at least that much in tune with the others'.

At last, Kensi's spine started relaxing, too. With that she let out a shuttering sigh, as if she had been crying inside.

Whispering gently into her ear Deeks said, "I'm sorry."

Kensi turner her head slowly, then her body, so Deeks was facing her side instead of her back. With sorrowful eyes she looked up at him, breaking his heart. "I know," she said quietly, "it was just part of your cover. But it was a pretty convincing act. You even heard Callen say he wasn't sure how much of it was an act. And it looked real enough to me, too." Gently, she was letting him have it, sharing the pain she had endured as she watched him kiss another woman, as her knowing colleagues Sam and Callen watched her reaction from their sideways glances at her.

Deeks responded by holding out his hands to her, allowing her to decide if she wanted to continue the effort. With shaking hands, Kensi complied by slowly reaching out to his hands.

Deeks soothingly rubbed his thumbs across the tops of Kensi's hands, saying, "This needs to be a much longer conversation, and we still have an operation in process. Let's head back to the Mission, and carry on this conversation tonight. Is that okay?"

With a slight shrug Kensi nods her head, taking her hands back and praying that she can keep her composure when they talk later tonight.

# # #


	2. Chapter 2

A path not taken from "Plan B"

None of the named characters in this story are my own. All belong to NCIS: LA.

It's the end of the day, finally. Everyone at the Mission had started their paperwork, but Hetty, seeing the exhaustion on their faces, told them to head home for the night. The paperwork could be completed the next day.

Hungry as always, Sam and Callen packed up their bags and headed out for a topnotch steak dinner. Sure they'd be back in the morning, but having dinner together had become a ritual for success for that partnership.

Next to file out of the Mission for the evening were Nell and Eric. While they were heading in different directions, both would end up at LA cantinas just enjoying their friends and blowing off a little steam.

Hetty washed her teacup, arranging all the items on her desk neatly, and nodded a "job well done" grin to Kensi and Deeks. Her team had successfully completed another operation. She was concerned, though. While the partnership between Ms. Blye and Mr. Deeks had become noticeably improved in recent months, this evening there seemed to be an unease between them. Adults, Hetty determined, they would work out a solution. With that she shut the Mission door behind her and headed home to her cats.

Not sure what to do next, Kensi had been waiting for this moment all day. So she pretended to sort the papers on her desk and neaten it up a bit.

Since her anxious activity was not accomplishing anything, Deeks knew he had to start the ball rolling.

"Okay, Kensi. Are you ready to start this conversation now?"

"I guess. Are we going to talk here or go somewhere else?" Kensi wanted to know.

Deeks thought about it a minute. Can't go to either of our homes, it needs to be neutral territory. Can't go to a restaurant, as hungry as we both might be, in case she gets so angry she puts me in a Full Nelson.

"Is it okay if we just do it here on the sofa?" he asks.

"Really?" Kensi asks with a raised eyebrow.

Sputtering a little Deeks says, "Talk. I just mean can we talk here on the sofa?"

"Right."

"Come sit down with me," Deeks invites her by patting on the arm of the sofa.

Silently Kensi sits, arms crossed, feeling more than a little defensive.

"Again, I'm sorry about what you saw earlier today," says Deeks. Watching a shadow of sadness cross Kensi's beautiful brown and black eyes, Deeks continues, taking one of her hands in his. "Today would have been easier on you if we had talked about this earlier."

A somewhat quizzical expression passes over her face, Kensi's brows furrowing into a question.

"Look Kensi. You need to know, when Nicole was kissing me in that interrogation room earlier today, my eyes were closed. The only thing that allowed me to go on was imagining that yours were the lips I was kissing."

Kensi quietly snorts, a small grin forming on her beautiful lips. They were so beautiful that Deeks couldn't keep his eyes off them. So he carried on, before he couldn't.

"I know you think I talk a lot, but at least you could respond. So what do you think?" asks Deeks.

With a catch in her breath, and a slow exhale, Kensi finally starts shifting her weight on the sofa as if getting ready to say something.

"Deeks. You are an idiot." That off her chest, Kensi continues, "Okay, now at least I feel a little bit better." After a moment, "You know, these past few weeks and months I had felt like we were getting into a really strong partnership. You've saved my butt a number of times, even though technically I don't need saving."

He nods.

"And you're finally trusting me with your personal weapons. But my feelings for you slipped past the whole trust thing a while ago. Until today. I guess I've learned to trust you with my life. Today I realized I can't trust you yet with my heart."

Deeks replies, "But that's why we're having this conversation, Kenz. I want you to trust that I never meant to hurt you." Bowing his head a bit, both from embarrassment of opening up to her, and from fear she might reach out and smack his head, Deeks continues, "I have fallen in love with you."

"Annoying as you are, I'm in love with you, too," she grins. "But after your kiss with Nicole this morning, I realized that right now I'm at the stage that it's more an infatuation than a relationship."

"'I'm sorry again for what you saw this morning. If there was anything I could do to erase that memory for you," says Deeks, "I'd do it. Can I try to show you?"

After a moment's hesitation, Kensi gives a brief nod, slightly blushing in the fading light of day.

"May I?" he asks, leaning forward. His eyes asking more questions than his words.

With a growing smile on her face, Kensi nods and leans in toward Deeks.

At first the kiss is tender. Just lips touching lips, softly.

As the moment lengthens, tongues get involved, and a rising heat takes over both of them.

Deeks wraps his hand around Kensi's head, pulling her closer. At the same time, she draws her hands up to his face exploring, and then pushing her fingers into his soft tousled hair. Neither wants this moment to end, but finally they both stop to catch their breath.

While they stopped kissing, their hands are frantically pulling the other closer, until they either have to stand up or fall off the sofa.

Magnetism takes over, pulling them closer together, now standing in front of each other. It isn't just their lips or heads that were close any more, but their entire bodies. Arms wrapped firmly around Deeks, Kensi feels him protectively rubbing her back while a smile of relief spreads across her face. With her head tucked under his chin, Kensi can hear Deeks whisper, "I've been waiting so long to tell you I love you," as she listens to the increased beating of his heart.

Relieved that they finally have vocalized their feelings for each other, Kensi withdraws again a little bit. It's going to take some work until she really trusts him with her heart. Now at least she knows that this relationship can be real. She leans away from him, exposing her most beautiful, intimate smile, before leaning up to ignite another passionate kiss between them.

After several minutes of soft and passionate kisses, Deeks says, "You know, I think we need to take this slowly."

"Me too," says Kensi, pulling herself back together. "I'm glad we finally got this out there, but it's still going to take a while until I really do trust you with my heart."

"Okay. Also, I want us both to enjoy this slow simmer while we see where this thing goes."

Kensi adds, "Yeah, but we'd better keep it between just us for now. I think they guys and Hetty suspect we might have something going on. They were all giving me "is she okay" looks during your undercover work today."

"So for now, as long as we're in this office or on an operation, we're just partners, right Fern?"

A full-on grin finally passes over her face. "That's right Timmy," smiles Kensi.

"Call it a night?"

"Yup. See you in the morning."

And they both pack up and head out of the Mission for the night.

# # #


	3. Chapter 3

A path not taken from "Plan B"

None of the named characters in this story are my own. All belong to NCIS: LA.

The team was filtering into work the next day, dreading the amount of paperwork they would have to complete, but still pleased to have successfully accomplished another operation.

Sam, ever vigilant, noticed it first, and practically bruised one of G's ribs, motioning to G to catch the eye contact between Kensi and Deeks.

Feeling more than a little smug this morning, Deeks cracks lame jokes all morning. When asked about it his response is simply, "It was a great day yesterday, wasn't it?"

The quizzical looks from the team that head Deeks' way thankfully pull attention from Kensi, who turns her head from her coworkers, grins, and mutters, "Smooth, Deeks. Real smooth."

"What?" Deeks asks the crowd.

They all respond by just shaking their heads and refocusing their attention on the pile of paperwork on their desks.

Later that day, after lunch and a quick work out on the climbing wall, Deeks catches up with Kensi as she's heading back to her desk.

"So, how's this 'just partners thing at the office' working for you?" Deeks asks Kensi.

"A lot better for me than it is for you. Jeez, Deeks, why don't you just announce it to the world?"

Deeks raises his eyebrows, "Really? I'd love to lay my claim on you for all to hear."

"No, fool. Not really." With that she gives his arm a punch. He notices this time that it's a much softer blow than she's ever delivered.

"Wow, is that all you've got?" he asks with a smirk.

When she pulls her fist back again, ready to hit him so it hurts, he pulls away raising his hands in mock defense.

By this time they have returned to their desks, and each takes a seat, ready to complete the days' work.

Near the end of the day when nobody else is watching them, Deeks mouths to Kensi, "Want to go out tonight?"

Making sure this conversation is still private, she raises her eyebrows and nods her response back to him with a shy grin.

"Great! Well, that does it for me today. I'll see you guys tomorrow." Deeks says, packing up his things, practically bouncing his way out the door of the Mission.

A few minutes later, not sure what to make of Deeks earlier question, Kensi too says she's done for the day.

Heading out to her car, she notices some restaurant put a flyer on the front windshield of her Caddie. Pulling the flyer from the grasp of the windshield wiper, Kensi realizes it's not an ad for a restaurant, but a handwritten note in Deeks' chicken scratch handwriting.

The note reads, "I'll pick you up at your place at 6:30 tonight. And wear a dress, Fern."

That's cryptic, Kensi thinks to herself. Kind of funny, too. Other than the sleazy outfits Hetty requires of Kensi in her undercover role for seedy operations, Kensi isn't even sure she owns a dress. Looking down at her watch, she realizes that it's 5:40. It will take her 15 minutes to get to an area in town that has any nice dresses, 10 minutes to get back home, 10 minutes to shower, and 5 minutes to get dressed and throw on a little make up. That gives her a whopping ten minutes to find the perfect dress. Sure, she can do it!

A quick call to Deeks on the way to the dress shops has her asking him, "Fancy or casual dress?"

"Didn't know you had both kinds in your closet" he remarks.

"Don't." She responds.

A moments' pause while he considers the implications of her response. Then, "Not casual, but not too dressy."

"You're a big help, so glad I bothered to ask."

"You could always show up with nothing on and we can see where it goes from there," Deeks chuckled.

Strangely, the next thing to come across his cell phone is utter silence. Kensi had hung up on him. Nothing unusual, except that he is taking her out on a date tonight. He now realizes that taking her on a date probably gives him slightly more leeway than he had with her before, but not that much. It is Kensi, after all.

# # #


	4. Chapter 4

A path not taken from "Plan B"

None of the named characters in this story are my own. All belong to NCIS: LA.

As Kensi walks into the dress shop, getting ready for her date with Deeks that starts in less than an hour (no pressure there), she smiles with relief as a salesperson walks right up to her asking if she needs any help.

"Yes," replies Kensi, "I need the perfect dress in about 10 minutes."

The salesperson, a slightly effeminate man in a pair of slacks and dress shirt, looks her up and down and says, "I doubt there is any dress that isn't going to look perfect on you. That said, for what type of event does it need to be perfect?"

"Not sure," answers Kensi. "I'm going on a first date with my partner."

"Sorry, that doesn't sound quite right. If she's your partner already how can this be a first date?"

Kensi snorts. "Not that kind of partner! He's my partner at work, we're a team, kind of like a pair of cops."

"Oh, that makes a lot more sense. So where is your partner taking you tonight?"

"I don't know that either. He said the dress shouldn't be casual, but not too dressy, either. You see, he's really a bit of a slob." Realizing that didn't sound very considerate about someone about to take her out on a date, Kensi goes on to explain, "But he has to be since he works undercover a lot."

"Really?" the salesperson asks, raising an eyebrow.

Kensi's ready to punch this guys lights out, finally getting his implication. But he turns away from her too quickly, heading toward the dresses about half way back in the store.

"Try this one on, it will knock his socks off." With that, the salesperson hands her an off-white wraparound dress with subtle brown and rose patterns. It looks like a Diane von Furstenberg style dress, but the salesperson doesn't even go there with his client. Not sure she would understand, based on what she's wearing right now. Besides, this one is less than $80, and a real von Furstenberg would have set her back more like $380.

Three minutes later, Kensi is happily checking out her own reflection in the mirror of the dressing room. This sales guy is an idiot, she thinks to herself, but he sure can pick a dress. It's nice to see the reflection of herself, not as a tomboy, not as a streetwalker, but as a woman. Betting that Deeks will think the same, she yells out of the dressing room, "Can you ring this up while I'm getting changed back into my clothes?"

"Sure."

"Wow," Kensi smiles to the salesperson, "in and out in under 10 minutes, with the perfect dress, too. I'm impressed."

"Glad to be of service. Come back again for a few more minutes before you go on your second date, and I'll get you set up for the next several dates."

As she heads out of the dress shop, dress in hand, a strange feeling takes over Kensi. Several weeks ago she had explained to the guys at work why she never goes out on second dates. Please, she begs herself and Deeks quietly, please don't let either of us screw this date up. I think this time I really want a second date, and it's hard to find a partner who can really be trusted with my life.

The drive home took a few minutes longer than anticipated. Nothing quite like rush hour in LA! So on getting through the front door to her apartment, Kensi starts stripping off her shirt and pants on the way to her bedroom.

A quick, but thorough shower and hair washing. She throws the dress on, covering it with her bathrobe. Then starts rubbing the water out of her hair.

The doorbell rings. Damn. Glancing at the clock that displays 6:30 on the dial, Kensi realizes she may have spent an extra couple of minutes in the shower when she decided to shave her legs. Not wanting to leave Deeks waiting at the door, Kensi runs out to open it.

"You shouldn't have, really," comments Deeks as the door opens to a towel beheaded, bathrobe wrapped date.

Kensi just stands there staring at her partner. Her date. Oh, God, she thinks to herself. He's gorgeous.

Somewhat expecting to see her partner in his classic jeans, plaid shirt, and scruffy hair, Kensi does a double-take. Deeks obviously didn't have to go out searching for a dress before this date, and he did leave the office first. But it must have taken him forever to clean up this nicely.

So what's she staring at? Deeks is in a beautifully tailored navy suit, wearing a light blue tie, that perfectly offsets his beautiful blue eyes. His white shirt is flawlessly ironed. Then she moves up to his head. No scruffy Deeks today. His face is clean-shaven. His hair is combed, with a part, and he must have used some sort of hair tonic, because it looks like he just walked out of a male hair salon. Even his shoes are shined. Again, the thought that goes through Kensi's mind is that he's gorgeous.

"Oh God. I'm running a little late," Kensi says to Deeks as she pulls him into her apartment. She's thinking that she doesn't want him out in public too long, for fear that he'll catch yet another woman's eye.

"Not a problem, I even had the reservations pushed back a little," Deeks explains as a steps over the shirt she left on the floor 20 minutes ago as she was racing for the shower.

"Give me two minutes to dry my hair," Kensi blurts out quickly as she's heading back into her bathroom.

"Okay. But you might also want to get dressed while you're at it. I'm not sure a bathrobe is proper attire for the restaurant we're going to tonight."

"Deeks, really? I've got my dress under the robe. Just didn't want it to get wet while I was drying off my hair."

"All right. Go to it."

Not two minutes, but ten minutes later Kensi steps out of the bathroom. After greeting Deeks at the door to her apartment she realized she needed to step up her game to keep up with him. So the extra eight minutes in the bathroom were spent wrapping her hair in a chignon, and applying not only mascara, but a little blush and lipstick.

It worked. Now it was Deeks' turn to gape openmouthed at his partner. No doubt about it, this is a couple that would be turning heads tonight.

"So, where are we heading?" Kensi asks Deeks as she gives him a quick peck on the cheek while she's locking up her apartment.

"There's a restaurant a couple of miles away that has a piano and dancing for after dinner. I thought that might be a nice place for us to explore our new definition of 'partnership.' You like?"

"That sounds great, but can you dance?" She's utterly baffled by the new aspects of Deeks that are being revealed tonight. She knew he was good looking before. She'd missed the gorgeous part. She new he liked to eat, but usually Deeks' meals consisted of burrito wraps bought from street vendors. Real food tonight. And he dances, too? Who is this guy? This is turning into a fairytale.

Her new prince beams one of his killer smiles Kensi's way, after letting her into the car, and hands her the long stem rose he'd picked up when driving to collect her.

Now she can't help but roll her eyes and beam one of her smiles right back at Deeks.

The restaurant is perfect. Delicious food. Low lighting. Soft music. Small dance floor. Perfect for a first date.

The piano player sees he only has a few customers tonight. It is a weeknight, after all. He can tell by their body language on the dance floor that Kensi and Deeks are falling hard for each other. So he sticks with his slower repertoire.

Soft words between them, followed by gentle smiles and soothing touches.

Finally, following a deep kiss Deeks says to her, "Princess, I need to get you home before my car turns into a pumpkin."

With a bit of sadness in her eye Kensi replies, "I know. But I wish I could just replay this night forever."

"But then I couldn't impress you with our next date night."

With misty eyes, Kensi realizes that indeed, there will be a next date. And many more after that one.

# # #


End file.
